This is the e-news service of the Catalan Solidarity: Ireland Committee titled Llibertat! – Saoirse!

This e-news service is distributed throughout Ireland to both political and community activists and others interested parties such as prisoner and anti-repressive organisations across Scotland, England and Wales who have subscribed as a gesture of solidarity with issues surrounding Catalonia and its struggle for self-determination.

As a contact or subscriber, you can assist the Catalan Solidarity: Ireland Committee by distributing the news and information published within Llibertat! – Saoirse! Inform friends/supporters of our regular mail-out and how to subscribe.

Thanks to all those who have assisted the Catalan Solidarity: Ireland Committee throughout the year by forwarding comments of support and solidarity.

The ‘crisis of king’s burning photos’ is not finished, the Spanish special tribunal, that usually deals with ‘terrorist activities’, has sued 11 demonstrators fro taking part in the burn of Spanish king’s pictures, they are accused of ‘crown injuries’ and face possible sentence of 15 months imprisonment. Mobilizations are organized by Independentist Left.

A group of student’s burnet more images of Spanish king in Autonomous University. There have been demonstrations in Alacant, Girona, Lleida, Tarragona and Valencia

The judge has charged the last 9 sued Independentists for ‘injuries to crown’ , and released tem on bail.

Judge Fernando Grande-Marlaska has released on bail the nine last activist accused of the burning of the king’s pictures. They have participated in a demonstration in Girona last week against the process on other 2 Catalan freedom activists. Police has identified a 10th person who is with the same charges and will have to go to Madrid for declaration.

Lawyer of activists, Mr Benet Salellas, said that judge urged State Attorney to present formal accusation against them.

This wave of repression against antimonarchic acts and free speech has been countered with dozens of solidarity acts in all Catalonia, most of them repeating the with civil disobedience act of the symbolic burning, by the Catalan left-wing Independentists.

Around 50 people participated on October 27th in the march organised by Rescat to the women Wad-Ras prison, where Catalan political prisoner Laura Riera was moved last August. During the march participants shouted slogans in favor of the release of political prisoners.

Police presence was clearly visible all the time. At the end of the march, at the arrival to the prison, in front of a police security cord, a statement was from Rescat and another from Laura were read.

To finalize the day of action, a solidarity dinner was organised.

Laura Riera’s statement read at the march:

Salut comrades,
Once again it’s only the thickness of the wall prison that separates us from one another. It’s only the bricks that prevents us to be closer physically. However, for me, for us all, this is a re-encounter!!!! We know that actions such as this one, are a show of cheering, of strength and of fighting spirit.

Some months ago we met in Picassent and now we meet in in the old working class area of Poble Nou (Barcelona). Some months back I was along with Diego (partner) and now with Dídac (son) a baby who gives me more reasons to keep struggling for people’s self-determination and social justice in the world.

As myself, as well as you all do, we struggle for a future where Dídac and his people will live in freedom and equality. We know that this is not easy but we are ready to keep going, to preserve our truth, in our desires, in our victory!

I’d like you all to know that from the window in my wing I can see the graffiti that reads: “ Freedom Laura Riera, prisoners to the street “. And things as such as well as the march today, being beside my son, it’s what keeps me going in our struggle, amongst you all, amongst my people!!!

Due to the cold blooded murder of an antifascist youth in Madrid earlier this month, more than a thousand people took to the streets of Barcelona in solidarity with Carlos, the boy assassinated, and in condemnation of fascism and the governmental institutions’ cover ups on the matter.

Police did their best to prevent the mobility of the march and in numerous occasions charged brutally against demonstrators.

At one stage a swastika sign was burned as a symbol of refusal to fascism.

Participants argued: …” this is another clear attempt by the authorities to prevent an act of free expression such as protesting, as it has been done in previous occasions; making the Catalan ministerial institutions accomplice of the Spanish State’s consent of fascist activities for its their legacy from dictator Franco.”

After a long campaign of support and solidarity throughout the Catalan Countries, on November 20th, a judge in the National Audience court in Madrid, condemned Jaume Roura and Enric Stern to 2.730 euros, instead of 15 months imprisonment as first requested, for burning the picture of the Spanish king during a demonstration in Girona due to the monarch’s visit to the city some previous months.

Both Jaume and Enric admitted responsibility for the actions. The judge expressed uneasiness at the fact that they spoke in Catalan and commented that as Spanish citizens they had the obligation to know and speak the Spanish language and, even not understanding the detainees’ statements, he never provided a translator.
Support gatherings were held during the trial outside court and throughout the Catalan Countries.

This is not the only open file against ‘injuries to the crown’. The judge
Fernando Grande-Marlaska keeps an open file of another 18 youths who participated in a protest, also in Girona, on September 22nd.

The anti-repressive organisation Alerta solidària has complained that the regional police, Mossos d’Esquadra, aid the Spanish repressive institutions by keeping unlawful political files on hundreds of activists

There’s a solidarity funds collection to help the other twenty defendants organised by the campaign ‘I also burn the Spanish Crown!’

6.Catalan Prisoner Solidarity: March of TorchesAnother year has passed, and around Christmas time, Rescat 'Catalan political prisoners' support group organizes a march of torches in solidarity with the Catalan political prisoners and demanding their release.
Rescat calls for the participation and collaboration of anyone who can organise a march in their home town or by assisting a similar solidarity event organised nearest you.
This year's rally date for all towns and cities will be December 22nd across the Catalan Countries. More information on this will follow shortly.

Also this is the time of year when we call on all recipients of Llibertat! – Saoirse! to please remember all political prisoners.We would like you as a gesture of international solidarity with those on the inside.

Send a solidarity message, a few lines of support to boost morale to the following Catalan Political Prisoners currently being held by the Spanish and French States.Please note that all Christmas Cards and post cards must be posted by December 10th.

The North-Catalans already suffer the separation from the rest of the Catalan Countries which happened nearly three and a half centuries ago.
This year’s annual demonstration in Perpignan an estimated 1.000 people gathered. At the fore-front of this commemoration was the Federation for the Defense of the Catalan Language and Culture in North Catalonia, and de Coordinator of Associations for the Catalan Language (CAL).
Also in attendance was the presence of the youth Independentist organisation Maulets, who carried a banner which read: "Neither Spanish Monarchy nor French Republic", in support to the present anti-monarchic campaign throughout the Catalan Countries.
The annual speech at the end of the demonstration reminded everyone of a year of financial and social wreckage, but also a year of struggle and resistance from North Catalonia: against all the French State’s attacks on local institutions, the campaign against the MAT (Line of High Tension) and the TGV (Train of High Velocity) as well as the struggle against racism and labour conditions, which were some of the issues that marked the 2007.
You can view more on this by visiting the L’Accent website: http://www.laccent.cat/

8.NO MORE REPRESSION AGAINST THE YOUTH WHO STRUGGLEOn the night of the 21st to the 22nd of November, several youths from Tarragona made a symbolic attack on the military barracks of the ‘Civil Guard’ of this city by throwing several paint bombs and eggs to the front of the building. This was an action that was part of a national campaign by the CAJEI (Coordinator of the Youth Assemblies of the Independentist Left) entitled “Subversion to Conquer Freedom”.
This action was aimed at questioning the very existence of this Spanish repressive military body which is still present throughout the Catalan Countries, as well as to condemn their post-Francoist and torturer course.
After the action 4 young people were arrested and brought to the police station where they were read their rights and handcuffed afterwards. Next day they were brought to a room to give statement but they refused to. They were released with charges relating to acts of public disorder.
Members of the organisation supported the action by recognizing it as legitimate for it was a response and rejection of this military body as well as the fascist symbolism that it endorses and, which it imposed throughout the Catalan region preventing its social and national emancipation as a people.

After months of absolute chaos within the railway service due to the AVE’s (High Velocity Train) rail construction around Barcelona County and the lack of power decision that the Catalan Government has upon the issues affecting thousands of ordinary train users, it has sparked uproar and indignation amongst the Catalan population.
The slogan for the demo will be: “We are a nation and we say enough! We’ve the right to decide upon our infrastructures!”
A spokesperson for the platform says: ‘we aim at gathering a large number of people at a national level, to protest against the chaos within the infrastructures and rail nets in Catalonia, and to demand upon the Spanish State the right of the Catalan people to decide the model of country that we want, not depending of the Spanish State’.
Source: CAL10.Day of action against Gender ViolenceDuring November 24th and 25th throughout the Catalan countries, different actions, info-talks, etc, took place which included several political and social organisations to denounce the ongoing violence against women not only by isolated men but also by the inequality originated from the capitalist system in which we live.
More than 650 women have been assassinated by male violence within the Spanish State since the start of the 21st century. Of these more than 200 were residents in the Catalan Countries, and nearly a 100 of them residents in Catalonia.
These facts however, are only the top of the iceberg of the thousands of women’s lives, with names and surnames, who suffer the humiliation, vexation, repression, slavery and the beatings only because they have been born women.
Political activists argue that the measures to eradicate this kind of violence are insufficient within society and that the priority of this struggle it’s still being misunderstood and uncared for.11.WHO WE ARE: Catalan Solidarity: Ireland Committee

Catalan Solidarity: Ireland Committee was established to provide practical support and solidarity to Catalan political prisoners, their supporters as well as information on the continuing struggle for self determination and socialism in Catalonia to challenge the media portrayal on political militants that are being fuelled by a regime, its media, its paramilitary forces, and mounting repressive laws and legislations.

In order to assist these goals we have established an online news and information service to comment on the current political situation within Catalonia, from within the prisons and on the streets.

As part of our work we aim to provide information events, pickets and solidarity protests etc to highlight various campaigns and activities and to raise awareness of the political situation in Catalonia.

We urge both Catalans living in Ireland and other non-Catalans across Ireland to write to Catalan Political Prisoners, offering them both continued solidarity and support.

T'agrada:

M'agradaS'està carregant...

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This entry was posted on 3 Desembre 2007 at 12:19 pm and is filed under catalan solidarity. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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